Meghan Markle officially kicked off her new lifestyle brand on April 2, really taking the plunge into the entrepreneurial world. The brand, previously known as American Riviera Orchard, completed a rebranding in February. Read more about how its nine artisanal products have rolled out with rocket speed to delight new consumers. And in a great show of demand, every item sold out within the first hour of their release.
The launch wasn’t without its significant hiccups. An unfortunate system error led Wildflower Honey with Honeycomb product to remain available on our website. Therefore, consumers were able to continue ordering it, despite it being out of stock. This surprise bottleneck led Markle apologizing customers lucky enough to have purchased the now-sold-out product. The company released a statement attempting to clear up all the confusion surrounding the so-called “vaporware” item. In their defense, they gave an apology.
Markle expressed the emotional toll of launching a business, stating, “Launching a business, it can be so overwhelming.” She elaborated on the stress involved in making decisions, noting that “even with the best of teams, it will keep you up at night, because every single decision – every microdetail – in that moment, it feels monumental.” She illustrated the challenges in what might appear to be a straightforward command line order, focusing on the nitty gritty from packaging to distribution logistics.
So, just days after officially launching her brand on April 8, Markle announced her new podcasting series. Thus, the name of her podcast is “Confessions of a Female Founder.” The podcast consists of real, relatable, and dynamic conversations with other influential and successful businesswomen. To kick things off, Markle invited Whitney Wolfe Herd, founder and CEO of Bumble, for her first show. On their way there, Wolfe Herd gave a masterclass in how to handle the wild ride of overnight success.
Wolfe Herd advised Markle against pursuing unsustainable growth, saying, “Don’t take this route to the top of Everest. The view is not worth it.” She further cautioned about the dangers of stress and anxiety in business, remarking, “Don’t do it, because the one thing you can never get back is your precious time. The amount of time, Meg, that I wasted on being stressed… I actually think I would have been more successful had I not been like that.”
Markle has approached her new life as a small business owner with a fierce sense of purpose. She remains acutely aware of the challenges that lie ahead on this path. The interplay between speedy positive outcomes and regulatory challenges demonstrates just how hard it is to be an entrepreneur. It’s this wellness trend that Markle uses her podcast and lifestyle brand to promote. She wants to motivate those who dream of doing the same.
